Saying Goodbye
by xEndlessStarlightx
Summary: A sad twist to the ending of The Little Mermaid


The crowd cheered as the princess gracefully walked down the aisle towards Eric. Holding her train as she was asked to, Ariel forced a smile for the guests. The lacerating feeling with each and every step she took was suddenly no match for the pain her heart was now enduring.

It felt like time froze as she helped the princess down the aisle.

'This was meant to happen,' Ariel thought to herself, holding back tears. 'I regret nothing. This is his happiness.'

Once Elisa had finally reached the altar with Eric and took his outstretched hand, Ariel lowered the bride's train to the floor and secretly left.

Walking up the stairs on the starboard side of the ship and straight ahead to the bow, Ariel could no longer withstand the pain.

'Eric...' she whispered so softly in her mind, her voice breaking as the pain grew stronger in her heart. She felt as if thousands of serrated knives had been thrown at her.

Ariel slowly turned around and looked at the prince one last time at the altar. She loved him so much that even just the tiniest glimpse of him now was too painful. She looked away, redirecting her gaze to look up at the scorching sun slowly beginning to vanish beneath the dark sapphire waves.

'When the sun rises, I will die.'

She quickly buried her face in her hands as an endless river of tears suddenly bled from her eyes. Her fiery red hair danced gracefully among the currents of the wind as time seemed to stand still. And in that very moment, she whispered his name again in her mind for the very last time.

'Eric..'

The prince immediately looked up, hearing his name echoing in the wind.

The priest spoke. "Do you, Princess Elisa of Ireland, promise to love and-"

"Wait," Eric said, stopping the priest from continuing the vows.

He carefully turned his head, analyzing his surroundings in an effort to try and understand where that voice had come from.

"Did you hear that?" He said to Elisa.

The princess scoffed and rolled her eyes, asking the priest to continue with the vows.

"No." Eric said. He let go of Elisa's hand, turning away from the altar and frantically searching through the crowd with a piercing gaze.

Within a split second, he ran down the aisle, still hearing his name being called out on the wind: louder and louder.

"Eric!" Elisa yelled after him, throwing her bouquet to the floor of the ship in a fit of rage. "Eric, what are you doing!"

But he ignored her. He had heard that voice somewhere before. But where?

* * *

Time was slipping away as Eric continued to search the entire ship. The clouds began to part, ready to reveal the first rays of sunlight.

Hidden away at the bow of the ship, Ariel retrieved the serrated dagger out of the small pocket of her dress: the dagger that had solely been meant for Eric. She slowly raised it to her neck, her tears dripping down onto the platinum reflection of the blade.

A storm of once precious memories circulated through her mind as she closed her eyes, preparing to be among the waves.

"Ariel!" Eric shouted as he ran up the stairs toward her.

The dagger immediately slipped from her hand as she turned around to face him. Hitting the surface of the waves, the sharp knife instantly disappeared - falling deep, deep down until it was nothing.

* * *

Eric walked closer to Ariel, seeing the pain in her eyes. It was too late. She felt her heart breaking more and more as the sun slowly appeared from behind the clouds.

With the last remaining strength that she had left, she walked over to the prince as well, placing a small necklace inside of his hands.

She wrapped her arms slowly around his torso and gently kissed him, sharing an embrace for the very last time.

'Goodbye.'

Within mere moments, the sun touched her skin. And the little mermaid slowly faded away, ascending to heaven.

It seemed as if it had all been a dream, as if Ariel had never been there. But when Eric looked down into his hands at the necklace, a tear fell from his eyes as realization struck. It belonged to the girl who had saved him, a mermaid. It was the golden seashell.


End file.
